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MBNMS
SAC: National Marine Sanctuary Program Annual Report January
2002 - December 2002
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DRAFT
National Marine Sanctuary Program Annual Report
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council
January 2002-December 2002
Major Achievements and Milestones
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During
the Joint Management Plan Review (JMPR) process the SAC has made
a special effort to involve the public and receive
their comments.
A special public comment period was held the evening before
the August 2nd meeting dedicated to JMPR priority issues. The comment
period
attracted over 60 people; approximately 30 people addressed
the Council. Public
comment focused primarily on the sanctuary protection for the
waters off San Luis Obispo County.
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During
the month of September the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
celebrated its tenth
anniversary. Four celebrations were held at
different locations throughout the Sanctuary. Many SAC
members participated.
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PEW
Oceans Commission Chair and former Congressman Leon Panetta gave
a 90-minute presentation, summarizing the work
of the
Commission
and some of the most pressing ocean issues.
SAC recommendations and Sanctuary Decisions
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At
the June 7th SAC meeting a discussion was introduced by Holly Price,
Resource Protection Coordinator, on Special Use Permits
and how they
are being granted for fiber optic cables and their maintenance.
Kaitilin Gaffney, Conservation alternate, made a motion
for the SAC to submit
a letter to the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries asking
it to reconsider whether the Special Use Permits are
the appropriate permit
to approve fiber optic cable maintenance. The motion was
passed and the SAC submitted a letter.
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The
August 2nd meeting was dedicated to the Joint Management Plan Priority
Issues. The SAC
was asked to give comments on the
cross-cutting
and
site-specific issues. Dan Haifley, Recreation primary
and SAC Secretary, made a motion to accept Table 4.1, a table showing
the placement
of all issues under cross-cutting and site-specific,
and
make
amendments to the table. The Council took action and
made nine amendments
to the
table.
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Richard
Nutter, Agriculture primary and SAC Vice-Chair, commented that
the waiver for non-point source discharges
associated with
the Total
Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan is expiring at the
beginning of year 2003. He asked the Council to send a letter
to the Regional
Water
Quality Control Board (RWQCB) to consider the program
that the MBNMS has in
place now with the Agricultural industry. The motion
was passed and the SAC submitted a letter to the
RWQCB asking them to factor
in
the MBNMS Agricultural Plan as they adopt their TMDL
program.
Major Administrative Changes
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The
Sanctuary Advisory Council Coordinator, Karen Grimmer, moved on
to her new role as the MERITO Manager. Nicole Capps started
as the
new Sanctuary Advisory Council Coordinator. Rachel Saunders,
Community and Public Relations Coordinator, also took on duties
as a liaison
with the Council.
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The
resignation of both the primary and alternate Citizen At-Large
seat representing the Northern part
of the Sanctuary were given
at the August meeting. Recruitment for new members began
in November.
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The
California Department of Fish and Game announced Fred Wendell and
Paul Reilly as their primary and alternate members.
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Frank
Degnan, Diving primary, George Cook, CA State Parks primary, and
Monty
Criss, Tourism alternate, were
sworn in at the June meeting.
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